The 29-year-old striker for the German national team is the son of migrants originally from the Viranşehir district. He is the first Kurd to score at a World Cup, celebrating the goal with a traditional dance. He was also the target of a campaign peppered with racially charged insults during a Europa League match in Istanbul. Nine players from this ethnic-religious minority are taking part in the tournament.

This is the second night of relative quiet along the southern border since the war broke out on 2 March. The 14 June massacre of civilians has slowed down the return of the population. Some residents told AsiaNews that they hope for a return to "normal life”, amid uncertainty and fears about the future. A new round of talks between Lebanon and Israel is set for tomorrow in Washington.

The repatriation to Australia of women and children linked to the Islamic State puts the spotlight on a hitherto forgotten issue. Thousands held in the Al Hol and Al Roj camps, run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), are not only the last physical vestige of the caliphate but also the battleground between two difficult-to-reconcile needs: the protection of national security and obligations towards one’s citizens.

Israel's Higher Planning Council has unilaterally assumed authority over construction, approving a new dormitory. The World Council of Churches condemns the expropriation of land adjacent to the Orthodox monastery of Saint Onuphrius in Silwan. Eight Arab and Muslim countries slam the burning of two mosques in the West Bank. Bedouin herding communities are also targeted.

Leo XIV spoke to the participants to the plenary assembly of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), lamenting the "exodus" of Eastern Christians caused by instability that always falls “hardest on the poor.”  For the pontiff, God is always “The source of goodness”. The pontiff also slammed those who waste money on killing, and “seek monologues”, while “you create dialogue”. “The Christian East can only be preserved if it is understood”.

This is the finding of a study by an Austrian university, which refutes the equation between faith and terrorism within the diaspora. Faith and culture are closely intertwined amongst refugees. Anti-Islamic sentiments also affect Christians. Polak: radicalisation increases outside communities, amongst those who are alone and encounter religion on social media.